1. Technical Field
The embodiments herein generally relate to an apparatus for harnessing natural energy. The embodiments herein particularly relate to the apparatus for harnessing wave energy, solar energy and wind energy and more particularly relate to an apparatus for use in water bodies for converting a wave energy, solar energy and wind energy to a usable form for producing an electric power.
2. Description of the Related Art
Often, the importance of wave, wind and solar energy on the surface of seas and oceans has been revealed in recent years. The notion of harnessing the power of ocean waves has held mankind's attention for quite some time. As such, there have been several inventions directed towards converting kinetic energy of waves into electrical energy. Some schemes suggest mechanism such as buoyant object in vertical or free horizontal movements, linked floats in horizontal direction or flaps in vertical position for harvesting the energy. Another scheme uses linkage portions and vertical flap in forward-backward movement in effect of wave oscillations. In the first scheme the reaction force is internal and in other words either body member resists other mate body consecutively. In second scheme the reaction force is seabed.
Generally more free is the collector in the direction of the wave motion, the apparatus is more able to convert the energy of the wave and less is the resistance to the wave motions. Further, the currently available scheme lacks free movements of collector or lacks in converting all the movements of the waves into energy. For example, one of the available schemes permits the collector to be free only in a horizontal direction. Actually, the waves in ocean are irregular in real condition and in addition to the prevalent waves, some smaller waves in oblique angle often hit the collector but the apparatus connection parts and collector are not strong enough to withstand the waves thereby causing harmful effects to the apparatus. Moreover, the cost of the apparatus is high and the conversion efficiency is low. Furthermore, the bulky body of converters in the apparatus necessarily increases the cost of the apparatus.
Hence there is a need for a strong, cheaper and efficient apparatus for harnessing at least one of a wave energy, wind energy and solar energy. Also there exists a need to provide an apparatus for use in waterbodies for harnessing the energy. Further there exists a need to improve a capability of a converter in extracting the energy by absorbing the energy even from the aslant waves.
The abovementioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein and which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.